Denis Lynch and Judy Reynolds hold Irish hopes in World Cup finals

Ireland has two riders competing at the World Cup finals in Gothenburg, Sweden this weekend, Denis Lynch in show jumping and Judy Reynolds in dressage.

Kildare native Reynolds will be first into action today in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Grand Prix as she is due in the arena at 14.25 (local time) with Vancouver K. The 14-year-old Jazz gelding, with which she has qualified for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, is owned by her parents, Joe and Kathleen Reynolds.

The first round of the Longines FEI World Cup finals, a speed competition with seconds added for knockdowns, takes place this evening at 18.15. Denis Lynch has been drawn 20th of the 36 competitors (representing 17 nations) with All Star 5, a 13-year-old Argentinus stallion owned by the rider in partnership with Thomas Straumann.

Irish riders have enjoyed an excellent start to week 11 of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida with Conor Swail winning Wednesday’s featured 1.45m speed competition on Ariel and Susan Grange’s Cita while Darragh Kenny claimed Thursday’s two-round WEF Challenge with his own and Sergio Alvarez Moya’s Red Star d’Argent.

After the first day of dressage in the eventing Nations’ Cup at Fontainebleau, France, Ireland, on a score of 52.7 penalties, is lying seventh of the nine competing nations led by Germany on 35.9.

Individually, Germany’s multiple medal winner Michael Jung tops the table on that score with La Biosthetique Sam followed by China’s Alex Hua Tian with the Irish Sport Horse Harbour Pilot C (43.4), a 17-year-old gelding by Coolcorron Cool Diamond, and France’s Maxime Livio on Opium de Verrieres (44.6).

The best-placed Irish rider overnight is non team member Sarah Ennis who is lying 10th with her 13-year-old Olympic Lux gelding BLM Diamond Delux (50.6).